Motorola Launches Moto X Developer Edition
Unlocking the bootloader still voids the warranty, so buyer beware.
Punit Soni, VP of Product Management for Google’s Motorola Mobility, said on Google Plus that Motorola has launched the Moto X Developer Edition on Verizon Wireless, and will release a GSM version for AT&T and T-Mobile on Friday. For customers on Sprint, the current Moto X model already comes equipped with an unlockable bootloader, so no special edition for you.
Unfortunately, the phones can't be custom ordered through the company's MotoMaker website. However these special developer models, priced at $649.99 USD, come in a special color combination: black on front and woven white on back. The device also ships with a Developer Edition stamp of approval that claims the user's "developer" status.
Despite the "developer" focus, Motorola is quick to point out that unlocking the Developer Edition bootloader still voids all warranties and may cause serious harm to the device. Thus, customers insisting on installing custom builds of Android could have the potential of owning a $650 paperweight. Thus to make voiding warranties easier, Motorola conveniently provides online instructions on how to set up and unlock the bootloader properly without disastrous results.
"Unlocking your bootloader is not for the faint of heart," the company warns. "Unlocking your device and installing your own software might cause the device to stop working, disable important features and functionality, and even make the device unsafe to the point of causing you harm. Neither Motorola, nor your wireless carrier or retailer from whom you purchased the device, will be responsible for such damage, so please do not unlock or load any software unless you know what you are doing."
"You have only yourself to blame," the company adds.
The Moto X Developer Edition packs a large 4.7 inch AMOLED screen powered by a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro clocked at 1.7 GHz, 2 GB of RAM and a 2200 mAh battery. Other features include a 10MP Clear Pixel camera on the back, a 2MP camera on the front capable of 1080p video, dual-band Wireless AC and Bluetooth 4.0 LE + EDR connectivity, and Android 4.2.2 "Jelly Bean". These phone will also ship with 32 GB of internal storage, a SIM card and the unlockable bootloader to easily install custom Android firmware.
"Change settings, flash a new kernel, and pretty much gain superpowers," Motorola said. "It's the kind of fun that voids warranties. But then again, you've always been into that sorta thing."
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Punit Soni also announced on Google Plus that DROID MAXX by Motorola Developer Editions are also available online today. For more information about these phones, head here.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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unksol Reply11562303 said:they've always been into that sorta thing =P
I assume by that you mean they've always been locking the bootloader, not the humor aspect... Back when they let Verizon control them.
you'll note the sprint version is already unlockable, so its Verizon and ATT forcing a "developer" edition to get past the BS carrier red tape.
The "if you load software and brick it cause you're an idiot" disclaimer is basic common sense. If I bought a PC, wiped the recovery partition and couldn't boot because I tried to install an unsupported OS that's my own fault. They don't owe me for breaking a working system.
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_Cosmin_ If they just stop installing bloatware on phones... and providing OS updates (like latest android version) and allow you to use whatever interface do you want (at least between stock android or their own) there will be no need for unlocking the phones bootloader and using custom OS.Reply